If I waited until I had the shop set up the way I’d like, (or cleaned up a bit for that matter) these photos would have never been taken. My shop is in the basement of our 1880s home. I had managed to clean it up well enough this spring that my wife actually dared set foot in it!

The basement, while big on floor space, is far from ideal. About 1/4 of the real estate is lost to the oil tank, water tank and furnace, a standing freezer, and several posts – some 6’ logs original to the house.

The ceiling is a hair over 6’ in most places, fortunate that I’m a hair under, though I’ve got to be careful in places.

The first picture is the view along the front wall of the house. I’ve recently set up a long bench, out of salvaged doors (that were shelves previously). There is a recessed, sliding shelf for my miter saw. This winter I built a rolling base for my table saw, which fits under the bench. – or did before I attached a larger top to it. lumber storage above left, a drill press, and sharpening station (just out of the picture) on the right.

The second photo is the reincarnation of my original bench, with legs from a broken folding table. The bench was a behemoth at 6’x2.5’ and pretty much could only fit in the center of the room. It did a good job of storing paint cans and all the tools I was “using” forcing me to use a smaller table I built as an actual working surface.

My main work surfaces currently are my table saw, and this mini/saw bench in the third photo.

Not pictured I have a couple small tables that I built out of 2×4s and plywood, as well as my shopsmith (circa 1950) – currently outfitted as a lathe. – turns out to be a bit to low for this, but I’ll be rectifying that in the coming year. I also built a 5’ tall 4 sided rolling storage unit. shelves on 3 sides, clamps on the back. Holds all my fasteners, and a fair amount of my hand tools – the ones that don’t leave the shop in the orange pickle bucket, that is.

The floor is concrete, despite the age of the house, though it is pitted in some places, and there is a poorly repaired shallow hole along the main traffic area.

Due to the lack of any reliable flat surfaces, I tend to do my assembly on the dining room table.

I suppose, like most of us, our shops are a perpetual work in progress. At least I’ve made some considerable progress this year so far.

My grandfather toiled away in his corner of the basement for as long as I can remember, the only workable space he had was the table of his radial arm saw. Scraps, tools and so on everywhere. At least I have space here or there to move everything out of my way when I’ve got another project in the works.

I hope to carve out some time this fall (winter at the latest) to get everything up off the floor, sorted and out of the way. Then get someone to wire the shop properly. Pipe dream? probably… but I’ll update as things improve.

I also have a 15×15 shed in the yard (odd size for a fairly new structure, don’t you think?), additional lumber storage mostly (as well as the outdoor tools) this could serve as a fine small shop space – or an auxilliary one. Good for three seasons at least. If I trust that it isn’t going to collapse one of these days. Apart from being in moderate disrepair, it is, essentially a house on stilts, supported on two sides by a retaining wall (at ground level) supported underneath by a couple 4×4’s and nearly rotted trees. If this passed inspection under previous owners I’ll never know, but the structure seems sound, and is insured. Money being no object I’d take it down and rebuild it elsewhere in the yard.

woodspar, the sawbench came from Woodsmith, I think. I’ll PM you if I can dig out the issue. I made it last summer, and I think I had the issue for a little while before I did, if that helps narrow it down.

Thanks Karson, My table saw is on wheels, and fits just under the “counter” (If I take off the fence and/or MDF top I have pictured here.

There is only about 1/2 of my shop pictured, the rest is less organized!

You posted this long before I came on board but I am glad it migrated to the top of my review list. You have an interesting shop. I wouldn’t have any problem working in there (5’6”). You certainly have enough wood and offcuts to last unless you get superbusy. I really enjoyed the video tour (of course I wished I had taken a dramamine beforehand) :)

Nice shop and seeing the video was a novelty.

Thanks for the post.

-- Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful- Joshua Marine

Cool basement! Must be kinda nice living in a house that isn’t a cookie cutter variety of place, like many are today. Though it does appear to make putting in a shop problematic, or you just have too much stuff…. Thats the problem I have.